Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My child has been diagnosed with an astigmatism but I’ve heard that glasses cause headaches and can lead to further degradation of vision. I’d like to try therapy and vitamins and see if that can help before putting him in glasses. Can anyone recommend a good protocol?
PP. You are gold!
All this BS about waiting and seeing or trying all alternatives is a result of stigma against ADHD and psychiatric meds. No parent is reluctant to medicate what they see as "real problems" but, sadly, many parents view developmental disorders and mental illnesses as not real or a product of poor parenting or due to moral or character weakness.
Again. Overly simplistic. ADHD is also easily and overly diagnosed these days. My kids ped started asking about focus and if we had concerns when they were each not even 5. She was looking for it.
Umm, yes, that's the ped's job - to look for evidence of disorder or illness?
Would you say that your kid didn't have scoliosis because the ped "looked for it" by seeing if her spine was crooked?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Understand that inattentive ADHD or ADD is about managing complexity. Executive functioning is basically organization and sequencing. It's weak working memory ADD folks have. Google working memory.
It makes me crazy that so many people think their kid has ADHD just because they have a hard time focusing and maybe knowing what goes where. ADD people have a super hard time tracking because of this poor working memory. There is NO WAY absolutely no way anyone who has ADD will not be impacted positively by meds. Whether that benefit outweighs the side effects is their choice to take meds or not but let me just tell you that if you really do not need meds to function, you do not have ADHD. It's nothing you are going to outgrow. Working memory isn't really improved upon as you compensate for it.
Make no mistake about it - meds are the only path you really have to turn it around. I do feel some people have a worse case than others but the hallmark of ADD or ADHD is that lack of focus and if you can manage it naturally, it's simply your personality. Those with ADHD simply are unable to do it.
"All or nothing thinking" may also be a symptom of ADHD.
Few things in life are so black and white.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Following - how do you all address how scary it sounds to medicate a 7/8 y.o. for impulsivity?
(We are in the process of learning about med trials and have found OT to help significantly but not be enough.)
PP. What exactly sounds "scary" about it? Can you elaborate? If you can elaborate, then people can tell you how they coped with particular fears or concerns.
Also, consider how you have framed the purpose of medication - it is for "impulsivity". By stating it so, you sort of trivialize the reason that you are considering meds. For example, what if you made a more accurate medical statement about the reason for medication -- medication is to address biochemical issues related atypically low dopamine caused by ADHD Inatttentive/Hyperactive or Mixed Type which causes difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and executive function that affect the child's ability to function across a wide domain -- academically and socially -- making it harder for them to learn, make lasting friendships, and receive positive feedback, all of which will eventually negatively affect core self-esteem and functioning over a lifetime course.
Anonymous wrote:Understand that inattentive ADHD or ADD is about managing complexity. Executive functioning is basically organization and sequencing. It's weak working memory ADD folks have. Google working memory.
It makes me crazy that so many people think their kid has ADHD just because they have a hard time focusing and maybe knowing what goes where. ADD people have a super hard time tracking because of this poor working memory. There is NO WAY absolutely no way anyone who has ADD will not be impacted positively by meds. Whether that benefit outweighs the side effects is their choice to take meds or not but let me just tell you that if you really do not need meds to function, you do not have ADHD. It's nothing you are going to outgrow. Working memory isn't really improved upon as you compensate for it.
Make no mistake about it - meds are the only path you really have to turn it around. I do feel some people have a worse case than others but the hallmark of ADD or ADHD is that lack of focus and if you can manage it naturally, it's simply your personality. Those with ADHD simply are unable to do it.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What heavy exercise are you doing in the morning and for how long? Does your child seem much calmer afterward?
Why do people phrase things in this obnoxious way. Could you say "Have you tried heavy exercise in the morning? Some people have found success with it."
Although, in my experience as a teacher, that helps the hyperactivity for short periods of time, but not the impulsivity or difficulty directing attention, and it doesn't last that long.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What heavy exercise are you doing in the morning and for how long? Does your child seem much calmer afterward?
Why do people phrase things in this obnoxious way. Could you say "Have you tried heavy exercise in the morning? Some people have found success with it."
Although, in my experience as a teacher, that helps the hyperactivity for short periods of time, but not the impulsivity or difficulty directing attention, and it doesn't last that long.
Anonymous wrote:What heavy exercise are you doing in the morning and for how long? Does your child seem much calmer afterward?
Anonymous wrote:I understand that the research points to medication as being the hold standard for ADHD treatment. My spouse and I have been wanting to do a med trial but our kid (just turned 12) is very resistant. We don't feel like we currently are in a situation where we need to be physically forcing meds, so we have agreed to try other things BUT if behavior goes off the rails as it has in the past, meds could become non negotiable.
What is working to manage things is
1-heavy intense exercise, ideally before school.
2-for with enough protein to balance carbs before and during school. Kid would be happy on bagels and pasta, but the day goes better with eggs first things Rather than pure carbs.
3-meditation. Need to get more systematic about this but it does seem to help.
4-routines
5-checklists.
I thought middle school would be the breaking point, but so far into sixth is managing okay. It's hard to wonder if things would be much better with meds or to read the studies about how teens with ADHD who are unmedicated are more likely to fall into substance abuse or other risky behaviors. Does that make it worth holding down a stubborn kid who is doing okay to force them to take a pill?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My child has been diagnosed with an astigmatism but I’ve heard that glasses cause headaches and can lead to further degradation of vision. I’d like to try therapy and vitamins and see if that can help before putting him in glasses. Can anyone recommend a good protocol?
PP. You are gold!
All this BS about waiting and seeing or trying all alternatives is a result of stigma against ADHD and psychiatric meds. No parent is reluctant to medicate what they see as "real problems" but, sadly, many parents view developmental disorders and mental illnesses as not real or a product of poor parenting or due to moral or character weakness.
Again. Overly simplistic. ADHD is also easily and overly diagnosed these days. My kids ped started asking about focus and if we had concerns when they were each not even 5. She was looking for it.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My child has been diagnosed with an astigmatism but I’ve heard that glasses cause headaches and can lead to further degradation of vision. I’d like to try therapy and vitamins and see if that can help before putting him in glasses. Can anyone recommend a good protocol?
PP. You are gold!
All this BS about waiting and seeing or trying all alternatives is a result of stigma against ADHD and psychiatric meds. No parent is reluctant to medicate what they see as "real problems" but, sadly, many parents view developmental disorders and mental illnesses as not real or a product of poor parenting or due to moral or character weakness.
Anonymous wrote:I asked this same question about 6 months ago and got similar answers. We tried the meds. It's been life changing. The only side effects is some slight trouble falling asleep, so bedtime has been pushed a bit later. But otherwise we all couldn't be happier.
More confident kid with better grades and better friendships, and much more peace at home and at school.